Rise in Patient Satisfaction Scores Continues

BWH received its all-time best scores on inpatient satisfaction surveys on quarterly reports for July to September and October to December last year, and this unprecedented upward trend continues. Between January and March, BWH received an all-time high overall survey mean score of 86.7 on inpatient satisfaction surveys, putting BWH in the 98th percentile of 500-plus-bed teaching hospitals that use Press Ganey to survey patients.

Ambulatory patient satisfaction scores are on the upswing, too, as the ambulatory survey mean score has steadily increased on each quarterly report since first sent to patients in February 2007. In the first report from February to June 2007, ambulatory patients gave BWH a mean score of 88.2, and there have been increases on each quarterly report since, with BWH receiving a survey mean score of 89.7 in the most recent quarter.

"We are committed to providing all patients with the highest quality care and the best service, whether they're inpatients receiving complex treatments or ambulatory patients undergoing a routine test," said Michael Gustafson, MD, MBA, senior vice president for Clinical Excellence.

Ambulatory Services began surveying patients in order to measure and monitor performance in various practices, thereby enabling practice leaders to identify areas for improvement. Patients from more than 70 ambulatory primary care and specialty practices from across the distributed campus participate in the surveys. BWH began surveying patients at various radiology and procedure areas starting this spring.

"Just as BWH has been doing on the inpatient side since 2001, we are using satisfaction surveys to listen to our patients and identify opportunities for improvement across our ambulatory practices," Sharon Vitti, vice president of Ambulatory and Women's Health Clinical Services, said.

Ambulatory Patient
Satisfaction Jan - March 2009

Mean Score Survey

89.7

Care Providers (Total)

92.1

PCP Care Providers

92.0

Specialty Practice Care Providers

92.1

Ambulatory patients are asked to rate their BWH experience in six overall categories: access to care, during the visit, nurse and assistant, care provider, personal issues and overall assessment. The combined mean scores for primary care and specialty practices for each category have increased almost across the board since the surveys were first sent to ambulatory patients.

"Our performance is definitely moving in the right direction thanks to many efforts by the practice administrative and clinical teams," Vitti said.

In both inpatient and outpatient surveys, BWH physicians are gaining high marks. Ambulatory patients gave care providers an overall mean score of 93.1 in the most recent quarterly survey, which puts BWH in the 85th percentile of University Hospital Consortium members that use Press Ganey. Care providers received high marks for using clear language, friendliness, including patients in decision making and giving follow-up instructions and explanations.

On the inpatient side, BWH physicians received their highest marks to date on the most recent quarterly report. Physicians received a mean score of 89.5, which put BWH physicians in the 94th percentile among 500-plus-bed teaching hospitals that use Press Ganey.